Presentation
Participants learned about the impetus and approach for the development of the NEDP at the Syracuse Research Corporation, including the population of adults it served in the early days of the program, its unique features that were ahead of the state of practice in the 1970s, and how those features are still innovative and reflect the current trends in the US and Europe for competency-based systems, performance assessments, and the development of transversal skills. Examples will be given of how the NEDP addresses the needs of diverse adult learners in the current environment. The session is intended to provide NEDP staff and interested adult educators with useful background information that can enhance staff’s delivery of the NEDP and the dissemination and adoption of the NEDP. The intent is also to engage the audience in discussing the aspects of the NEDP that they find are effective and/or challenging. No expertise is needed. Because this session does not fit into an existing strand, I listed the strand as: History and innovative Features of NEDP.
BIO
Judith Alamprese, MA, a Principal Scientist at Abt Global (USA), has more than four decades of experience leading research, evaluation, technical assistance, and program development in adult learning and workforce development. Trained as a sociologist, she has focused on system and individual-level interventions that promote equity and access to enable adults and youth to achieve social and economic well-being. Her work has involved leading experimental studies of innovative practices in adult skills learning, postsecondary education, and workforce development services, as well as providing technical assistance at the federal, state, and local levels in designing state-systemic change initiatives to support scaling of promising practices such as career pathways. She currently serves as Co-Principal Investigator of the Collaborative Research for Educating Adults with Technology Enhancements (CREATE) Adult Skills Network and is the Principal Investigator for the Affordable Programs of Study and Career Pathways Initiative. Her recent studies examined the use of text messaging to support adult learners’ attainment of a high school credential and transition to postsecondary education and training and approaches to providing holistic services to support adult skills learners. Earlier in her career, she was a co-developer of the National External Diploma Program, a competency-based performance assessment system for adult skills learners. She has authored or coauthored 130 technical reports, articles, and book chapters and conducted more than 200 conference presentations in the areas of adult learning and workforce development. She has served on numerous federal advisory groups related to adult learning and education, including two adult literacy committees for the National Academies Board on Testing and Assessment. She was a member of the U.S. Delegation to the 6th International Conference on Adult Education, CONFINTEA VI and the 7th International Conference on Adult Education, CONFINTEA VII. She has presented at OECD, UNESCO, and other international conferences on adult learning and education.
STRAND: NEDP History